What does everyone snack on during the day?

[Rumblefish]

I haven't ever really been all that active until I started cycling and now that I've been doing it more often I've noticed I am hungry a lot more than I used to be! I'll eat a pretty hefty meal (such as wheat pasta, a salad and veggies somestimes fish) which used to be more than enough and about 2 hrs later or so I'll be hungry again My stomach is turning into a black hole!

I've never had to actually feed myself so much food before and my BF just keeps telling me to snack all day...snack on what?! Obviously snacking on french fries isn't the best idea, but I'm just not sure what things are good snacks that will help with cylcing. I could munch on carrots all day, but would those aid on rides. I just don't know

So I guess my question is what does everyone else snack on during the day and what are good things to eat which will help fill me up and avoid what feels like near constant hunger? What foods have you all found that provides energy for you on rides? I know everyone is different and eating habits need personal tweakings, but a starting point would be helpful.

[surgtech1956]

To work I take things like pretzels, string cheese, pretzels stuffed with peanut butter, fruit, or iced animal crackers. I need to lose weight so I try to limit my snacking.

[Aggie_Ama]

I am on a weight loss plan (weight Watchers), so fruit (usually grapes) and these little WW Cakes after lunch. I also like dry cereal or pretzels. I try to drink lots of water, it curbs hunger.

[Artisan]

I'm hungry all the time too. I try to watch what I snack on or I'd pack on weight for sure. I like to snack on different things throughout the day. I'll eat nuts, beef jerky, slices of rolled up turkey, watermelon, oatmill (yes, I use it as a snack), bananas and I love apples. I also have a protein drink two hours after my breakfast.

Like Aggie_Ama I also drink lots of water. I've actually seen my performance on rides dramatically improve since I've increased my water intake. I think I must had been dehydrated prior to the watching my water intake.

[uk elephant]

I usually take a mix of pretzels and dried fruit to work for a mid-morning snack and I always take fresh fruit such as apple or banana for an afternoon snack. And I drink lots and lots of water and some juice. And I keep a box of granola bars at work for when I get really hungry in the afternoon.

[han-grrl]

Everyone has different needs nutritionally, since a lot of it is based on genetics.

For myself, i know i am getting super out of balance hunger when i don't eat enough protein. My body tends to need more protein than the "recommended daily" and that's normal. The recommendations are rough, and its hard to make a nutritional plan for entire countries of mixed genetics.

To give an example, hubby can eat a bowl of oatmeal and last all day. I can eat that oatmeal and i am starving in an hour. So i try to add in protein at every meal including snacks

A lot of time snacking on single foods (like pretzels or an apple) can throw blood sugar off, so it is a good idea to think of snacks as mini meals - e.g. apple with cheese and some crackers. ie fat, protein carbohydrate. that tends to keep things more stable.

For rides i will bring bananas and fig newtons or granola bars. I DO NOT eat granola bars on anything BUT rides.

For everyday, yogurt with nuts and some berries, piece of toast with sliced meat and cheese....because of my job i rarely have a time when i can eat a full meal until dinner, so i have to eat small meals through out the day.

I always start the day with a bowl of fruit, cereal (measured out), milk and sometimes an egg (i try not to eat more than 4 eggs per week).

If i do get a lunch - salad with crumbled tofu, yogurt and salsa is one of my favorites.

Good luck!

hannah

[indysteel]

Almonds, a piece of fruit, yogurt, hummus and red bell paper slices or grape tomatoes, string cheese, pretzels. I try not to snack too much at work, but I almost always eat something before I head out for my weekday training rides. I drink a recovery drink--usually 16 ounces of chocolate milk--right after a ride, too. That takes the edge off my hunger.

I, too, have experienced a marked increase in my appetite because of cycling, and I have to eat a bit more these days to keep from losing much weight. However, I would note that hunger is often confused with thirst. Be sure you're adequately hydrating, too.

[Tuckervill]

I've never been much of a snacker, but when I just have to have something, it's usually a hunk of cheese. ("hanker for a hunk a, a slab, a slice, or chunka, hanker for a hunk a cheese!") Lately I've been mixing up raisins and walnuts and whatever little nut I have around, not too much, just an ounce, and that satisfies me for a long time.

Karen

[mekira]

I'm always hungry I'm the only one that has a cooler at work I bring fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal, etc. I don't like salty snacks but I do love sugar (I try to stay away though, gives me headache) I drink a ton of water too....

Speaking of eating, it's time for my snack

[mimitabby]

i eat pretzels, nuts mostly for snacking at work. At home I tend to eat more fruits. I try to limit my chocolate to right after lunch (or i'd eat it all day)

[GLC1968]

I plan for snacks...but for me, they are mini meals and must include some protien. If I don't plan them, I tend to pick at the stuff that has little nutritional value and then find myself hungry all day anyway (and eating more).

typical snacks:
yogurt w/ protien powder and granola
rolled up lunch meat eaten with fresh fruit of some sort
light cheddar cheese with an apple
cold chicken and fresh fruit
1/2 a protien bar
carrot sticks, raw green beans and a small handful of almonds
1/2 a protien smoothie
ff ricotta with apple butter and chopped walnuts
powerbutter on wheat crackers

[Torrilin]

Chips and salsa are one of my default snacks. I look for low-ish sodium baked chips. Pretty much any mild salsa (except they call it medium or hot in the midwest... how strange) will do. If I'm a starvling, I'll add cheese.

Another common snack for me is to grab a cup of soup, usually homemade.

[maillotpois]

Super high end dark chocolate.

[nicole309]

I can so relate to being hungry all the time. When I first started riding I found it nearly impossible to convince everyone at work that I wasn't pregnant with my eating habits.
I can say that it has gotten better, but if I do a ride over 50 miles I feel like I am hungry for days!! I find that I do the best if I eat the majority of my calories early in the day. So, I take lots of early day snacks to work. I bring fresh fruit, berries now that they are in season, yogurt, and almonds. Bananas are really the perfect bike food. I eat two every day. I find that if I pack everything in early I ride much better and really don't snack at all at night. I usually crave bad snacks at night and this really doesn't happen if I eat well all day. My only downfall is Fruit Snacks. I eat them or Jelly Belly Sport Bean while I ride. I really need the sugar then, or I just die!

[Rumblefish]

Thanks for all your responses and sharing what your snacking habits. I've a better idea now what is helpful and the things I should steer myself towards.

I do generally drink a lot of water, but maybe not enough. I'll have to start being more conscious of drinking more and see how it works out for me.

Again, thank you!